Bracketology - week of Jan 6

[BRS24]

Here we go kids. Our friend Charlie is now in the two updates a week phase, and I'll try to keep up. In my first attempt to see if today's update had been posted, all I got was a blank screen, so yeah. And now that it's live, it's got ... a new look with moving graphics. I'll post Friday's update here, so we only have one thread per week.

Welcome to Texas Tech and Michigan State in the top 16. Goodbye to Notre Dame (8) and North Carolina (5). Of note, Villanova is in LFI, and Seton Hall and Marquette in the NFO groups.

Women's Bracketology: Kentucky is biggest winner as upsets shake up top 16

The new year has brought some big upsets, a shake-up of the top 16 seeds and a new-look Bracketology.

www.espn.com

Chaos reigned in the first week of 2026 as seven teams in the top 16 of the last Bracketology update lost in a five-day span -- and LSU and Notre Dame each lost twice. The top four teams were unaffected, so the gap between UConn, Texas, South Carolina and UCLA and the rest of the country grew larger. But the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 seed lines were significantly shaken up. Kentucky was the biggest winner of the upheaval. The Wildcats -- whose upset of LSU on Jan. 1 might have been the week’s most impactful win -- jump from a 3-seed (No. 12 overall) to solidly on the 2-line (No. 6 overall). Clara Strack and Tonie Morgan might be the most underrated post-guard duo in the nation.​

12 - Big Ten
11 - SEC
9 - Big 12
7 - ACC
2 - Big East
2 - Summit League

 

[azfan]

Sun Devils in!?!?!

 

[oldude]

As a UConn fan, I would love to lock in this bracket for March right now. After disposing of 2 teams in Storrs, facing Texas Tech in the Sweet 16 and Vandy in the Elite 8, if the tournament goes “chalk”, is about the easiest road to the FF that you could imagine.

 

[Huskee11]

Texas, on the other hand, seems to have a tough road as the number 2 team under Crème’s analysis. Louisville is coming on strong and if LSU gets past Louisville, it would mean that LSU will have righted the ship.

 

[Skeets]

If it goes chalk, it would be Geno vs. Shea. That would be worth watching 🙂

 

[BRS24]

If it goes chalk, it would be Geno vs. Shea. That would be worth watching 🙂

I hate when this happens, even it's correct vs the S curve or whatever. I'm always thinking, stop making fetch happen

 

[triaddukefan]

As a UConn fan, I would love to lock in this bracket for March right now. After disposing of 2 teams in Storrs, facing Texas Tech in the Sweet 16 and Vandy in the Elite 8, if the tournament goes “chalk”, is about the easiest road to the FF that you could imagine.

Vandy wouldn't be in the Elite 8 in that bracket.

 

[oldude]

Vandy wouldn't be in the Elite 8 in that bracket.

I suppose, if I absolutely had to, I could live with the Blue Devils in the Elite 8…. 😎

 

[NC28604]

I do love the new format ESPN has done.